RUSTON - Former Louisiana Tech offensive lineman Jordan Mills was always known for his big smile off the field and his fiery passion on the field while in Ruston.

Now the folks in Chicago have taken notice of the same as Mills was the recipient of the Chicago Bear's Brian Piccolo Award on Tuesday, an honor voted on annually by teammates and given to players that display courage, teamwork, dedication and a sense of humor.

A rookie last season, he accepted the award along with former Bears quarterback Josh McCown.

The Napoleonville, La. native gave an emotional speech which showed his appreciation for the former Bears running back for who the honor is named after. Piccolo died of cancer in 1970 at the young age of 26, and was the subject of the movie "Brian's Song." His number is retired by the Bears organization.

Mills starred on the o-line for the Bulldogs from 2009-12 and was drafted by Chicago in the fifth round in 2013. He ended up being a fixture in the starting lineup all season at right tackle before suffering a fracture in his foot prior to the last game of the year against rival Green Bay.

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